Here’s How The Coronavirus Lockdown Is Affecting Pollution Levels In India
In the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic almost every country in the world has decided to call an imminent lockdown in an attempt to decrease the spread of the virus. This will also help in providing some relief to overworked healthcare workers. However, there are little rays of sunshine that have been peaking up around the world.
Although some of these rays are somewhat metaphorical showcasing themselves as stories about people helping in keeping civilization intact or helping doctors and other medical health care providers in fighting the virus on the frontlines. But, some stories are quite literal being about how the skies over places with massive air-pollution problems are clearing up.
1 To stop the imminent spread of the coronavirus, the Indian government imposed a lockdown on the country, a week ago
India in comparison to most other countries of the world is facing major pollution problems, but they are accustomed to it more than any other country. As per the 2019 World Air Quality Report of the IQAir AirVisual’s, 21 of 30 most polluted cities in the world are nowhere else but in India.

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2The lockdown has actually proven to be beneficial by clearing up the skies
To the surprise of the citizens of the country, following the lockdown due to the ongoing pandemic, the skies are now clearer than ever because of less mobility causing less pollution and the shutting down of many factories.

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3In the capital city of New Delhi the pollution has dropped by 71%
In an attempt to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Indian government has imposed the biggest lockdown in the world just about a week ago. Citizens were urged to stay home and if they needed to leave their homes then to practice social distancing. Factories, shops, markets including places of worship were closed temporarily as well. Public transport was suspended, and construction works were made to cease all activities leaving the country in a temporary standstill.

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4It has been a much needed break from the major pollution levels
The lockdown has turned out to be somewhat of a long-awaited break from the suffocating pollution levels canopying the cities and the smog lingering over several places. This is a perennial problem affecting most cities in India.

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5For India the sudden clear blue skies are have been a major shift
According to data analyzed by the government from the main Indian cities the records have shown a significant decrease in harmful air pollutants released mostly by vehicles and power plants. The levels of pollution plummeted by about 71% in just the first week of the lockdown in the capital city of New Delhi.

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